The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) on Friday announced the restoration of popular video-sharing platform TikTok’s service in the country following assurances from the Chinese social media giant that it would “control” the upload and spread of “immoral and obscene content”. . Application.
This is the fourth time that the telecom regulator has lifted the ban on the platform after blocking it for various reasons.
According to a statement issued by the PTA, the authority has blocked access To apply on July 20, 2021, and since then, it was in communication with the TikTok management regarding the matter.
“As a result of continued engagement, the platform’s senior management assured [the] PTA of its commitment to take necessary measures to control illegal content in accordance with local laws and social norms,” the statement said.
It added that the social media company had also assured to block users for their continued participation in uploading “illegal content” on TikTok.
“keeping in mind[se] Assurance, the authority has decided to immediately lift the ban on Tiktok.
The first Chinese-owned app was banned Was in Pakistan in October 2020. According to the PTA, the decision was taken on complaints regarding obscene and immoral content. He was picked up Ten days later, the company had assured the telecom regulator that it would block “obscenity” accounts.
In March this year, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) also banned on the video-sharing app that was later picked up in April.
In June, the Sindh High Court followed suit and ordered PTA to suspend access to TikTok for “spreading immorality and obscenity” in the country. the court suspension lifted Three days after issuing the order.
Meanwhile, the app said there were more than six million videos removed From Tiktok in Pakistan in three months.
“In the Pakistani market, TikTok removed 6,495,992 videos, making it the second market to remove the most videos after the USA, where 8,540,088 videos were removed,” Tiktok Pakistan’s latest transparency report covered January to March had gone.
However, the PTA blocked access On stage again in July for failure to remove “inappropriate content”.
But the very next month the Islamabad High Court (IHC) questioned Powers of the PTA to impose a complete ban on TikTok, saying that by the same logic, the telecom authority should also ban other digital platforms such as Google and YouTube.
IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah made the remarks while hearing a citizen’s plea against the ban on the social media platform.
The court had directed the PTA to consult the government and devise a mechanism to deal with such cases. The IHC had also issued a notice to the Secretary, Ministry of Information and Technology, seeking his response on the matter.
Separately, PTA was submitted a report to PHC in September, informed the court that it would not lift the ban on TikTok until illegal content is removed from the app and a mechanism for “proactive content moderation” is introduced in the country by its operator .
Earlier this month, the PTA had agreed to set up a mechanism with TikTok to ensure that all content uploaded on the platform is legitimate and safe for the society.
To discuss the matter, TikTok head of public policy Helena Lersh had met PTA President Retired Major General Amir Azim Bajwa at PTA Headquarters on November 4.
In the meeting, TikTok sought a long-term meaningful engagement with the regulator regarding content moderation in line with local laws and societal norms and to ensure the provision of safe, productive, informative and legitimate content for Pakistani users. Highlight the initiative. ,